Miami Heat: 3 big questions heading into 2019-20 season

2. Can Justice Winslow become the point guard of the future?

While it may have been initiated via injury, Justice Winslow’s role as the starting point guard for the Heat is here to stay. With incumbent point guard Goran Dragic succumbing to a knee injury mid last season, Winslow was thrust into the main role and stayed in charge even when Dragic returned in the latter part of the season.

Having completed his first three seasons in the league in a variety of roles, it appears the Heat have may have stumbled into Winslow’s best-suited position. In 52 games as a starter, Winslow averaged 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.3 minutes per game. Given much of this was the longest stretch of his career as the primary ball-handler, Winslow’s output was nothing to sneeze at.

At 6’7″ and with the physicality to overpower many opposing point guards, Winslow offers a genuine point of difference in the backcourt. However, it’s at the defensive end of the floor in which Winslow can make an even bigger impact for the Heat.

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With the combination of his physical tools and elite defensive instincts, Winslow has already established himself at this end of the floor, where the Heat were 3.6 points per 100 possessions better off defensively with Winslow last season.

In addition to his floor general duties, the other notable aspect of Winslow’s game last season was the development of his 3-point shot. Not only did he convert at a commendable 37.5 percent clip, but Winslow also more than doubled his attempts to 3.9 per game.

At just 23 and with the full backing of the coaching staff, Justice Winslow has all the tools to make another significant step in 2019-20.